Counting All the Ways You're Wrong.
It's Your Research Paper, Not Mine.
(Re)lie To Me.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-mont.
Is This a (Vali)date?
Blast From The Past.
100
Using your knowledge on APA style, determine if the sentence below is in the correct APA format. If not, correct the APA errors:
32 students, in total, are taking PSY 260 this semester and have an average grade of eighty-five.
What is...
Thirty-two students, in total, are taking PSY 260 this semester and have an average grade of 85.
Rules: We don't start off sentences with numerical values (32), and IF the number is 10 or greater than 10 in the sentence, use numerals to express the digit.
100
Sections under the main body of an APA-style paper.
What is...
Introduction.
Method.
Results.
Discussion.
100
The average of all split-half reliabilities.
What is Cronbach's Alpha?
100
Some important aspects of informed consent.
Participants must know the potential risks of study/know the benefits of participating/are not pressured to give consent/and know of any compensation if possible.
100
When we increase the internal validity of an experiment, we risk decreasing the _____
What is external validity?
Internal validity deals with the extent to which one variable causes changes to the other variable (DV). External validity is how we can generalize our results and findings to the real world.
100
Identify the modality of measurement (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio) using the example below:
Genotype: Bb, bb, BB, bB.
What is nominal?
200
Identify and correct the APA errors below:
What is...
1. First error: Author names are alphabetized by the last name, then initials.
2. Second error: "e" for evidence after colon should be capitalized.
3. Third error: Year should be after author names.
4. Fourth error: Journal/Periodical should be italicized, not bold.
5. Fifth error: Volume number should be italicized.
CORRECT FORMATTING:
200
List some aspects that are included in the introduction of an APA-style report.
What is...
Includes the issue being investigated and why it’s important. Background of the research/literature on the topic. Theoretical orientation, specifying hypothesis study addresses, outlining research strategy and methodology.
200
Define test-retest reliability and give one limitation.
What is the extent to which a measure or scale positively correlates with itself over time?
Limitation: Depending on how much time passes, scores on the measure may be markedly different than the first time the participant took the measure.
200
Identify the two safeguards used against fraud in research.
What is...
1. Replication—using same procedures as original study; reveals error and uncovers fraud in research.
2. Peer Review—Evaluates quality of research study, reviewers can also see if anything is suspect about the study and findings, and also see the contribution it makes to the body of knowledge.
200
A cognitive psychologist is examining mood-regulation in children and wants to see how easily they get upset. To establish validity, one measure, a scale, is used to get a rating of their mood; and another measure is used to monitor their pulse rate (a physiological type of operational definition to define the construct of upsetness). Tell me the type of validity that is being used.
What is convergent validity?
It utilizes two different ways to measure the same construct and see if the measures are related to each other.
200
Identify the modality of measurement (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio) using the example below:
Socioeconomic status: poor, middle class, rich.
What is ordinal?
300
Identify and correct the APA errors below:
Tuk, M. A., & Zhang, K. The propagation of self-control: self-control in one domain simultaneously improves self-control in other domains. (2015). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 144(3), 639-654.
What is...
1. First error: The "s" in self-control after colon should be capitalized.
2. Second error: "The propagation of self-control: self-control in one domain..." should NOT be in italics.
3. Third error: The year (2015) should come after the author's name.
4. Fourth error: Journal/Periodical should be italicized.
5. Fifth error: Volume number, NOT the issue number, should be in italics.
CORRECT FORMATTING:
Tuk, M. A., & Zhang, K. (2015). The propagation of self-control: Self-control in one domain simultaneously improves self-control in other domains. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 144(3), 639-654
300
Some key characteristics that are attributed to an abstract in an APA style report.
What is...
150-250 words max. Brief, condensed summary of study. Includes description of study, important participant characteristics, and key findings. First line not indented.
300
Describe parallel forms reliability and give one limitation of it.
What is...
Parallel forms reliability entails giving two alternate versions of the same measure to participants and correlating performance on the two. One limitation of this type of reliability is that what is on the measure should be as equivalent as possible to the other (i.e. number of questions, same testing context, utilizes the same content—not more difficult or easier than the other version).
300
Identify if the example below would go under the following types of IRB review: Administrative/Exempt, Expedited, Full Board.
Conducting a focus group about an experience or an opinion of a community program.
What is Administrative/Exempt?
"A proposal fits in Category I (Exempt Review) if the research presents no possible risk to adult participants. Examples of Category I proposals are anonymous, mailed surveys on innocuous topics and anonymous observation of public behavior." - Our holy savior, Gravetter and Forzano G&F chapter 4.
But a note from TA: Also includes studies with educational objective (can be in classroom setting), studies where information has been coded and cannot identify anyone's personal information, as well as studies that have archival information (typically).
300
If I were to examine people's moods getting worse using a happiness scale (i.e., growing less happy) as the temperature drops and becomes colder, identify the type of validity it seems most likely I would be using. Hint: What is happening to both temperature and happiness rating?
What is construct validity?
Construct validity is where the measurements of a variable behave the same way as the variable itself. In this case, we would likely see low scores on the happiness measure, that go along with low temperatures.
So, the scores we obtain from the measure also decrease as the temperature plummets.
300
Identify the modality of measurement (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio) using the example below:
Religious preference: Buddhist, Mormon, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Other.
What is nominal?
400
Identify the problems with the abstract below:
What is...
1. First issue: Abstracts should NOT be double-spaced.
2. Second issue: Abstracts do NOT have the first line indented.
400
Some key characteristics of the Method section of a research article.
What is..
Critical information to be able to replicate procedures described in study. We have participant characteristics that include their affiliations, gender, and any other relevant background/demographic information. We would also include any sort of compensation or reimbursement participants may have received by participating in study. Lastly, we need to know how many people are in the study, including those that ended up being excluded from original study.
Depending on the study, we can have a materials and apparatus section which is more focused on what materials were implemented in the study, including the type of tests administered, the type of computers used, etc.
We also can have a design and procedure section, which depicts the testing situation.
400
A test made up of 10 items has a reliability (r11) of .65. If the number of items on the test is changed to 15, the reliability of the new test improves to...
Formula: rkk = k(r11)/[1 + (k - 1) * r11]
Rkk = reliability of a test k times as long as the original test.
R11 = reliability of the original test (Cronbach’s alpha).
K = factor by which the length of the test is changed. How to find: Divide # of items on new test over # of items on old test.
You're welcome, 260. Good luck.
What is 0.74?
Work shown:
rkk = k(r11)/[1 + (k - 1) * r11]
rkk = 1.5 (0.65)/1 + (1.5 - 1) * 0.65
rkk = 0.975/1 + (0.5)(0.65)
rkk = 0.975/1 + 0.325
rkk = 0.975/1.325
rkk = 0.74
400
Identify if the example below would go under the following types of IRB review: Administrative/Exempt, Expedited, Full Board.
A researcher is interested in study habits and grade point average.
What is Expedited?
"A proposal fits in Category II (Expedited Review) if the research presents no more than minimal risk to participants and typically includes research on individual or group behavior of normal adults when there is no psychological intervention or deception..."
400
Define and give an example of divergent validity.
What is...
The extent to which two constructs are shown to NOT be related.
An example of this would be differentiating between aggression and socialability. Although this is pretty straightforward on how these two are unrelated, we use divergent validity to ensure we are not somehow measuring another variable that doesn't necessarily align with what we are trying to measure.
400
Identify the modality of measurement (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio) using the example below:
Years of education.
What is ratio?
500
Tell me the general rule when you cite 3-5 authors for an in-text citation.
What is...
When it's 3+ authors, in the first reference you list the last names of all authors followed by an ampersand (&) and the year of publication.
Any subsequent in-text citations list the first author's last name followed by "et al." and the year of publication.
500
Main difference between a student title page and a professional title page.
What is...
A professional title page includes a running head, and can include an author note as well (at bottom half of page).
A student title page does not have this but includes, under author affiliation, course #, name, instructor name, and instructor due date; otherwise:
Any APA formatted papers you will likely write in this class. : )
500
First, write out the equation for reliability. Then, tell me two sources of error that can happen (this is related to the equation--if you remember it).
Reliability = True Score/[True Score + Measurement Error Score]
True score is the score you get on the measure without error, while measurement error score--right in the name!--accounts for error. Two sources of error: Trait and method error.
Trait error: characteristic of person (participant or something about the researcher that may introduce error in the study). This error is unsystematic, there isn’t a regular pattern to it. Things about the person: fatigued, how alert they are, attitude, not being a native speaker, etc. Demand characteristics--something about the environment that gives cues to participants about the hypothesis and as such causes them to alter behavior--would be included here.
Method error: characteristic of testing situation. Such as temperature, light, noise, time of day, etc. Could also be coding errors. It is not something consistent but it happens unsystematically.
500
Identify if the example below would go under the following types of IRB review: Administrative/Exempt, Expedited, Full Board.
A study investigating the prevalence of depressive symptoms among pregnant adolescent women.
What is Full Board?
"Category III (Full Review) is used for research proposals that include any questionable elements such as special populations, unusual equipment or procedures, deception, intervention, or invasive measurements."
500
Define mundane realism and contrast with experimental realism.
What is...
Mundane realism concerns the superficial and physical set-up of the experiment itself that makes it clear that it's an experiment and generally it is hard, in a sense, to try and buy into it. This makes achieving external validity difficult.
Experimental realism concerns how you are able to be sucked in by the simulation or experiment, psychologically. This causes participants to act as if they would if they were not being studied, since they are able to immerse themselves in the event/set-up of the experiment or simulation. This is high with external validity.
500
Identify the modality of measurement (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio) using the example below:
SAT score (200-800).
What is interval?
600
List 2 ways to increase reliability in general.
What is...
1. Test participants in the same context.
2. Train observers and practice rating techniques.
600
When researchers deceive participants, tell me one crucial thing the researcher must do after the study is done.
What is debriefing?
Know that debriefing goes over what the study was actually about and why participants were debriefed. This is supposed to help minimize the negative impacts of the study, convey the educational objective and goal of the study, justify the deception used, and provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions.
600
Differentiate between the following types of validity:
Face validity.
Construct validity.
Concurrent validity.
Convergent validity.
Divergent validity.
Predictive validity.
What is...
Face validity is very superficial and it's obvious to the participant what it is you're measuring.
Construct validity is when the measure behaves in the same way as the construct itself; or otherwise measuring what it is supposed to be measuring. Good example from textbook: Rising temperature and aggression.
Concurrent validity: Current. Establishes validity for one measure by comparing it to a previously established measure that is similar. It shows that a new, different measure works in a similar way as an older one. Also looks at present behavior.
Convergent validity: Type of validity where two or more different measures of a construct obtain similar scores on the the construct they are measuring. Converges scores.
Divergent validity: Shows little to no relationship between measurements of two different constructs (constructs that can actually be related; satisfaction and quality in relationship example). Demonstrates a weak relationship between scores for two distinct constructs, and consequently, reveals how the variable that we may have been measuring was not one we correctly defined. THIS IS USED WHEN WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT BY MEASURING ONE SPECIFIC CONSTRUCT, WE ARE NOT COMBINING ANOTHER ONE.
Predictive validity—obtained from measure that can accurately predict behavior. EX: School children aggression.
600
Identify the modality of measurement (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio) using the example below:
Temperature in Kelvin (meaning that at 0, there is NO heat).
What is ratio?